Data from 60 observations of 10 teachers and 10 each of their students showed that type/quality of teaching strategy predicted 37 percent of variance in engagement and that the more indirect the teaching strategy, the greater the students' involvement in learning tasks. Implications of these and other findings are discussed. (Author/JN)

Relationships among student achievement, class size, and mode of instruction were investigated using 225 fourth-grade students. Students were randomly assigned to teacher-led or seatwork assignments in groups of either one, three, five, or six, and results showed seatwork impervious to group size effects, while achievement varied. (Author/JMK)

The Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study is a major study on teaching effectiveness. Findings and educational implications dealing with time, instructional processes, and classroom environment are offered. (DF)

Examined management behaviors of junior high science teachers (N=16) and the relationship to task involvement of students operating in small group laboratory settings. Results of 91 observations indicate that teacher behavior was directed in three ways: whole class, small groups, and nonclass related. Implications for science instruction are…

Discusses different preinstructional and instructional variables over which teachers have some control and which may affect learning, including content choice, wait time, time on task, form of instruction, success rate, monitoring, questioning, and orientation to academics. (DC)

The authors review current practices in writing instruction in adult literacy classes. They observe that students spend little time writing. Innovative teaching activities are mentioned. They discuss goals of writing instruction and how to adapt present practices to meet the writing requirements of the General Educational Development Test. (CH)

Recommends strategies to engage students in science tasks including match games, scavenger hunts, and science songs. Uses an interdisciplinary approach in the science activities. (YDS)

This comparative analysis examined effects of direct instruction, cooperative learning, and independent learning instructional practices on the classroom behavior of four third graders with behavior disorders. In the direct instruction condition, students displayed higher rates of on-task behavior and lower rates of disruptive behavior relative to…

Reviews research that finds teachers assigned to smaller classes do not significantly alter the instructional methods they used in larger classes. (PKP)

Many struggling learners resist academics, thinking that they lack the ability to succeed, even if they expend great effort. In other words, these struggling learners have low rather than high self-efficacy for academics. It is widely believed that without sufficiently high self-efficacy, or the belief that they can succeed on specific academic…

This study involved 15 secondary-level teachers who taught fast-paced classes at a university based summer program and similar regularly paced classes in their local schools in order to examine how teachers differentiate or modify instructional methods and content selections for fast-paced classes. Interviews were conducted with the teachers…

The evolution-related attitudes and actions of Minnesota high school biology teachers were studied to estimate the prevalence of creationism among biology teachers. Minnesota's high school biology teachers were questioned about the evolution education in public schools regarding the percentage of biology teachers who teach evolution, class-time…

Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) is an innovative pedagogy that enables faculty to increase interactivity in the classroom and engage students in learning. By creating a feedback loop between students' work at home and the classroom setting, time on task is improved in both quality and quantity. This paper includes an introduction to JiTT and evidence…

As universities transform into enterprises, academics are facing new challenges, especially in their teaching. This is because of the demands for student-centred programmes that offer more flexibility, the use of Course Management Systems such as "Blackboard," and the expectation that instructors will perform (more) efficiently and effectively. In…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…